Off My Normal Course

I haven’t been myself the last few days.   Something just hasn’t been right.  I haven’t been able to focus.  I have been extra sensitive.  It seems as though the little daily annoyances have been more frequent and extra bothersome.   I have been wrought with worry about more than usual.   I haven’t been making incremental progress towards my goals, and I have been “sweating the small stuff.”

I’m just feeling “jumbled.”

I attributed it to the beginning of the school year. I assumed that the change of schedule  for me and my daughters was throwing me off a bit.

Then, when scrolling through Facebook, I saw it.   I literally said “oh no” out loud.  Mercury was in retrograde!

 

What is Retrograde?

Mercury retrograde occurs three or four times a year.   It occurs when Mercury “speeds” past Earth and “appears” to be moving backwards, although it really isn’t moving backwards.

As a result of this planetary movement, we can feel the impact of this retrograde period on earth.

 

 

How are we Impacted during Mercury Retrograde?

According to astrological and planetary experts, Mercury rules your intelligence and communication (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-schwimmer/top-10-things-not-to-do-d_b_4133136.html).   As a result, it is possible that tasks involving clear thinking and open communication my be more challenging than normal. In addition, it can also impact negatively transportation, possibly making transportation more troublesome than normal.

As a result, people who are sensitive to Mercury retrograde may find themselves misspeaking, disagreeing, or experiencing equipment failures.   In fact, experts say that, if you are sensitive to Mercury in retrograde, you should avoid making agreements, along with avoiding commencing new commitments or projects.    (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-schwimmer/top-10-things-not-to-do-d_b_4133136.html)

Virgos are Sensitive Souls.

I also ALWAYS feel the impact of Mercury retrograde in my life.    In fact, even when I don’t officially know when Mercury is in retrograde, that I ALWAYS sense that something is misaligned.

But why?

Well,I am a Virgo. And, come to find out, Mercury in retrograde often has an exaggerated impact on Virgos UNLESS Mercury was in retrograde when you were born.  (I wasn’t surprised to learn the Mercury was NOT in retrograde when I was born since I feel such an impact on Mercury in retrograde.)

As a Virgo, I naturally analyze and overthink.    I also have difficulty communicating and articulating my emotions.

Therefore, when a Virgo like me experiences “disruptions” in communication and transportation during Mercury Retrograde, we can become obsessively analytical or experience painfully struggles with communication during Mercury retrograde if we don’t carefully pay attention to our actions and reactions.

 

So what should we do?

Some people want to run and hide during Mercury retrograde.

However,  Mercury retrograde happens three to four times per year for approximately three and a half weeks each time.  Therefore, is it really realistic to put everything on hold for almost 25% of the year?

For me, it isn’t.

I have things to accomplish.

I don’t want to put taking conscious actions to achieve my goals on hold for almost a quarter of the year.

So what can be done?

 

What Can You Do When it Feels like the Universe is Literally Against You?

Although Mercury Retrograde is often viewed as an unwelcome disruption, some activities are actually most conducive during Mercury Retrograde.   For instance, the confusion that Mercury Retrograde presents often provides an opportunity to reflect and reorganize.

 

I needed a strong intervention.

With Mercury in retrograde, I realized that I needed to get back on track; I needed something that would help me reorganize and reflect.

I needed something that could reset and reinvigorate me.   I needed to become better aligned.

So I stopped listening to my current book and podcasts and re-downloaded one of my favorite books, The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks.

Operating in Your Zone of Genius

The Big Leap is one of those books that reminds you how important it is to live in alignment. In his book Hendricks, who is an experienced leader in relationship transformation and body-mind therapies, explains that we all have a unique set of talents.   He goes on to explain that when we live in alignment, operating in our zone of genius, we live the most fulfilled and well-aligned life.

On the other hand, Hendricks states that living out of alignment with your unique gifts can cause unhappiness, dissatisfaction, and misalignment in our lives.

When we are out of alignment, Henricks believes that we are operating in our zone of incompetence, our zone of competence, or even our zone of excellence.   In other words, we shouldn’t be focusing our energy on doing things that we are not good at, or only okay at doing.   In fact, we shouldn’t even be focusing our energy on things that we are pretty good at doing; instead, we should be doing things that no one else can do well or as easily as we can.  (Granted, you may not be the ONLY person who is a genius at this specific task or skill.  However, the way that you actually execute your skills and passions for your craft in your zone of genius should be fairly unique.)

Lesson Learned

Hearing the content in Hendricks book again reminded me that alignment generally produces more order and tranquility.  Similarly, misalignment generally produces more chaos and frustration.

I needed to be reminded of the importance of avoiding acting in my zone of incompetence.   Instead, I need to act in my zone of genius.   After all, when you are operating in your zone of genius, the work comes more easily and leaves you more satisfied.  You are also more likely to be able to take action towards achieving the goals that are most important to you.

Most importantly, I need to remember that I need to stay aligned to my zone of genius so that I am focused and aligned.  This way, Mercury moving backwards doesn’t have to continue set me back.   I can use Mercury retrograde as an opportunity to reflect and reaffirm what is most important, while also ensuring that I stay focused on my goals and in my zone of genius.

The Morale

This week reminded me that we all go off our course.  But, in fact, we all have the capability to get ourselves back on track.

We simply need to have a collection of resources that can help us to realign when we feel like we are starting to travel “backwards.”

For me, the favorite resources to get me on track was a favorite book and a great business coach.  Both resources reminded me that I needed to create space and time before trying to get myself back on a forward moving path.   

Inevitably, I will get “out of sorts” again.  We are human and respond to the ebb and flow of life, including the pull of the planets and universe as a whole.

However, rather than letting the current of life carry me down a path that I don’t want to travel on, I will use the resources available to me to reflect and reaffirm my goals until I can get back on track.     I will also remind myself  that God gave us all a unique purpose, and that when we align to that purpose, our God-given genius has the opportunity to shines.